Page 56 of The Devil's Secret

I gasp, shaking my head. “N-no. Please,” I stammer.

“Oh, look,” the third man says. “She speaks. It’s a damn miracle.”

They advance on me, rising off the sofa while I fall back a step, almost tripping, my hands uncovering what I didn’t want them to see.

They grin, their eyes on my breasts, the tears streaming down my face and I know what’s coming.

As they get to me, as their hands greedily gnaw at my skin, my cries turn to screams, and I don’t stop, not until they finish, leaving me on the floor like I’m discarded already.

* * *

ENZO

Sleeping beside her, it’s the soundest I’ve slept in forever. She does that, and I hope I do that for her too.

I arrive home after spending a couple of hours at Viper, taking care of some business Dante and I were supposed to handle together. I admitted to liking Joelle, and I caught Dante off guard with that. But I meant what I told him. If Joelle wanted me, I wouldn’t hesitate to make her mine, but she’s got too much holding her back. If only I could shatter that wall and show her what’s behind it. Maybe then she’d stay.

The house is quiet as I enter, my men around the premises as always. Joelle must be asleep by now. The last time I saw her on my cell was while at the club, and she was curled up on the sofa watching television.

Taking the stairs quietly, I make it to the door of my bedroom, but instead of going in, I walk down until I get to hers. I want to sleep next to her again. Does she want me there too?

Gently, I turn the knob, hoping not to wake her. As I start to push open the door, her scream rips through the walls, so loud it causes my pulse to jump, my feet moving with alarm, some of my men already upstairs, marching toward us.

“Sir?” one says behind me. “Is everything good here?”

I find Joelle huddled up against the headboard, knees up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, her body trembling, her exhales loud.

I hold out a hand, indicating for my men to stay back. “It’s okay. Close the door.”

It clicks behind me as I continue toward her, but she doesn’t even look at me, those large, unblinking eyes staring ahead.

“Joelle, baby?”

I near the bed, almost at the foot.

“It’s Enzo. I’m here.”

When she doesn’t answer, I round the corner, sitting close, letting her feel my body heat. She keeps shuddering and her cheeks are glossy from tears.

How long has she been like this?

If I hadn’t been busy at the club, I would’ve done a better fucking job of watching her on the camera.

Did she have a nightmare about what that prick did to her? Were there others? How fucking many?

My jaw pulsates hard, teeth rattling at the thought of what could’ve been done to her.

My Joelle.

A hand inches toward her knee, barely touching at first, testing her reaction, slowly lowering it, clasping in reassurance. “I’m here, baby. I’m not gonna leave you.”

Her head slowly drifts toward my voice, as though she’s only just hearing it for the first time. She stares, but it’s as though she sees right through me, her lips shuddering like she wants to say something.

Fuck. I’m gonna kill them. If there are more. If they touched her. I’m gonna torture their fucking souls before I end them. Every single one.

Unable to stand another second of watching her so broken, I scoop her up into my arms, cradling her against me as we walk out the door.

Her breathing slows as she lays her head against my shoulder, and once we get to my bedroom, I reach a hand for the knob, quickly opening the door, before shutting it with my foot.

---